Rotary shaver



Patented Nov.' 4, 1952 OFFICE ROTARY sHAvER Leonard Scheponick, Kapuskasing, Ontario, Canada Application May 23, 1951, Serial No. 227,817

4 claims. (C1. en -43) My invention relates to improvements in rotary shavers of the kind in which a rotary cutter head is employed having blade's which co-operate with a perforated guard or face plate to shear hairs with a scissor-like action.

The salient object of the invention is to provide an improved operating mechanism by which the rotary cutter head 'is motivated by hand manipulation.

More particularly the invention has for its object to provide an actuating mechanism comprising the provision of depressible buttons connected to helical elements by which rotary movement is imparted to the rotary cutting head. The buttons are arranged to be depressed by the hand of the user and are preferably disposed at the opposite ends of the rotary cutter.

A still further object of the invention is to provide a hand powered mechanism of this kind in which the helical actuators are associated with a clutch device devised to transmit rotation to the cutter head and allow it to spin freely -when a button has been given an actuating movement. The clutch device may comprisea driven clutch member on the rotary cutter and a driving clutch vals plate engageable therewith and having an oper-Hf-` able connection with the helical actuator.

A still further object of the invention is to provide hand operating mechanism of the character referred to and in which the driving clutch plate is self releasing with the return of the helical actuator and its associated operating button.

A still further aim of the invention is to provide a hand powered mechanism which is facile of operation and which requires very little hand pressure to motivate it, and one which will cause rapid spinning of the cutter head with each depressional movement of the operating button.

A feature of the invention is that it provides a rotary shaver by which a smooth shave can be obtained with a scissor-like action in cutting hairs.

The shaving device is highly advantageous in that it can be conveniently carried from place to place as when travelling and it is always ready for instant use. Moreover, it is a time-saving device which is particularly useful where electrical power is not available, as would be required for an electric shaver.

The invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawings in which Fig. 1 is a perspective view of a rotary shaver constructed in accordance with my invention.

Fig. 2 is a sectionized plan view of the shaver.

Fig. 3 is a, sectional view taken on line 3-3 of Fig. 2.

Fig. 4 is an exploded View;r of the rotary cutter and the parts of the hand powered mechanism. Fig. 5 is a perspective view of the driving element of the clutch, and A Fig. 6 is ya detail of a bearing plate against whichv an end of a spring is seated for the return of the push button. K

In carrying out myinvention I provide a case of any suitable shapey or fgrm, such as that generally indicated at 1 for housing the various operating parts and capable of being conveniently held in the hand. `Within the case there is housed a rotary cutter 8 which is a cylindrical member comprising a hubf carrying a plurality of radial blades I 0 which may be suitably secured theretov in accordance with the dictates of the manufacturer. The blades co-operate with the foraminous guard plate II in a cutting operation. Tlieguard'plat provides openings in which hairs may enter and be sheared closely to the skin in a cutting operation. Such a guard plate provides agz'iin'st the cutting of the skin of the face and enables a close shave to be obtained.

' Thero'tary cutter is journalled at its ends by means of anti-friction bearings 'I2 and at each end there is provided a driven clutch plate I3 which is disposed at V.the outside of the bearings.

The hand operating mechanism which is novel comprises the provision of buttons I4, there being one such button at each end of the rotary cutter and disposed to project from a side wall portion of the case 1. Each .button forms a part of the hand operating mechanism for rotating the cutter 8.

The hand actuating mechanism at one end of the cutter is similar to that at the other end and each comprises a button I4 as aforesaid. The button is depressible and to this end is suitably arranged in the case 1 for axial reciprocation. The button is attached firmly to a helical actuator I5 which extends into an axial opening I6 provided in the cutter I0 and is free to move inward as a unit with the button. The bore I 6 of the cutter hub serves as a guide passage for the helical element I5. The button I4 is constrained to a limited endwise movement by any desirable expedient such as the provision of a longitudinal slot I 1 in which is engaged freely an end of-a screw I8 or like device. The ends of the slot serve as abutments to limit movement of the button. The slot and screw connection precludes rotation of the button, and since the helical element is xed to the button it cannot turn.

The button is normally retained in an outward position as by the provision of a spring I9. The spring may be of the coiled type such as that shown in the drawing. It is seated at its inner end against a bearing plate 20. Plate 20 is xed in the case and supplied with an aperture 2l, Fig. 6, through which the helical element I5 freely extends. There is provided a driving clutch plate 22 which is engaged with the helical element I5 vas by means of a transverse slot 23. The driving plate 22 of the clutch may be supplied with one or a plurality of bearing surfaces 24 for engaging the radial surfacei 25 of the driven clutch member I3.

It is preferable to supply fingers 26 on the clutch member 22 in order to form a plurality of the bearing surfaces 24, which ngers are uniformly disposed circumferentially.

With this arrangement it will be manifest that on depression of the button I4 the helical element I5 Will move inwardly and thus rotate the .driving clutch member 22.. The. actuating of this clutch member. inducesit's fingers '2t .to bear upon the driven clutch member while .it rotates. The engagement thus drives. the cutter head.

Spring i9 returns. the button .along with the helical element and relieves the driving clutch l with respect to the driven clutch member I3,v

when the button I4 and the associated'helical element I5 are allowed to return after a` depressional movement. l

From the foregoing description it will be manifest that the rotary cutter is continuously driven', 3

by repeated depressional movements of the button at the side of the casing. Either or both of the buttons may -be used. In` the use of the two buttons they may be depressed simultaneously or otherwise. The shaving device is-easy to use and is highly effective. Moreover it is inexpensive to manufacture.

What I claim is:

l. In a rotary shaver, a case, a rotary cutter journalled therein, a helical element mounted in said case in axial alignment with said rotary cutter for depressional movements, a button rigid with said helical element for manual depression, a device co-acting With said button for preventing said helical elementv from turning, a driving member engaged with said helical element in a manner to be rotated by a depressional movement thereof, and a clutch forming a driving connection between said driving member and said rotary cutter.

2. A rotary shaver as defined in claim l, and in which the device co-acting with the button for preventing turning of the helical element comprises a slot formed in said button endwse thereof, and a screw on said case having an end engaged loosely in rsaid slot.

3. A rotary shaver as dened in claim 1, and in -which said clutch comprisesa plate rotatable lwith said rotary cutter and having a radial fric- -tion face, andv means on said driving member for engaging said friction face when the driving member is rotated in one direction by said helical element` 4. A rotary shaver as defined in claim 1, and in which a spring serves to return the helical element after a depressional movement, and in which the tension of said spring is taken on the case.

LEONARD SCHEPON'ICK.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date g 85,460 Mackay Dec. 29, 1868 664,388 Drosse Dec. 25, 1900 2,458,417 Pollifrone Jan. 4, 1949 2,547,077 Evans Apr. 3, 1951 

